Chapter 26: Evolution

Ou Jinju saw a sly glint in Ou Xinlai’s eyes and was thoroughly astonished. Could it be that the perilous lives of Prince Xuan and the Little Marquis were all orchestrated by Ou Xinlai herself?

Watching the faint smile tugging at the corners of Ou Xinlai’s lips, that expression half amused, half inscrutable, Ou Jinju was struck by the realization that she, too, was a lover of chaos, eager to stir trouble wherever she could.

He could not begin to fathom her intentions; only when Prince Xuan and Ye Zifei’s lives descended into disorder could her own life return to tranquility. He wasn’t sure how much Prince Xuan hoped to profit from their engagement, but Ou Xinlai only wished he would not go too far—if he really thought himself a pampered gigolo, that would be the end of it. And Ye Zifei, that fellow enjoyed watching mayhem even more than she did. If she didn’t rein in that mischievous troublemaker, her life would become a tangled mess.

Whenever Ou Xinlai fell silent, Jinju was overcome by a peculiar sensation.

Reclining on her chair, Ou Xinlai’s eyes were half-closed, occasionally flashing with sharp light. Beneath her lazy demeanor, Jinju sensed a tension that he could not explain. It was as though he were not crafting something before a younger sister, but facing a leopard, eyes narrowed and feigning indifference. Even if the beast made no move, who could truly relax in the presence of such a fierce creature? One could only tread carefully, guarding their life as if walking on thin ice.

He shook his head; had he been so thoroughly bewildered by Ou Xinlai lately? Her strange techniques were formidable, but surely that was no reason for him to react like a mouse before a cat, so fearful and anxious.

He glanced aside at Ou Xinlai, lying there.

Her face was as it had always been, yet something, unknown to him, had quietly changed. To Jinju, the old Ou Xinlai had seemed intolerable, even repulsive.

But today, he suddenly discovered that she was actually quite striking. Those elegant, arched brows, the pert little nose, her eyes nearly closed—but Jinju knew well that when they opened, they would shine with dazzling brilliance.

Her lashes were long and thick, like butterfly wings casting a shadow over her cheeks. Her skin was flawless, ivory and smooth. The crimson mark on her left forehead, once so conspicuous, now seemed not the least bit unsightly. Jinju wondered why he used to find her so irritating, yet now, he could not find a single fault in her.

As he watched, Jinju’s mind wandered.

He quickly shook his head and turned away, busying himself with his hands. How odd, truly odd—he had been so captivated by Ou Xinlai that he forgot himself!

Were it not for the red birthmark on her forehead, her beauty would rival that of Prince Xuan and the Little Marquis.

While Jinju concentrated on his work, Ou Xinlai, lying on the chair, suddenly furrowed her brows. She had already unlocked all the meridians throughout her body and believed there were no blind spots left.

But unexpectedly, this body was an exception. In some unfamiliar place, there remained a mysterious acupoint, still blocked. Ou Xinlai had never noticed it before, but today, she discovered it. She wondered if her failure to awaken any special abilities was due to this acupoint’s obstruction.

Whether related or not, she had to open it. Yet, as soon as she gathered all her strength at that mysterious acupoint, a tingling sensation surged through her body, electric currents coursing over her skin.

Unable to withstand it, Ou Xinlai fainted.

Jinju frowned. He thought he just heard the crackle of electricity.

He looked around the room, then at Ou Xinlai, who was already fast asleep, and decided he must be imagining things. In the clear daylight, with neither cloud nor storm, where could lightning come from?

“Hey, it’s getting late. Fengyun Academy must have finished classes by now. Shouldn’t we head back to the Ou family?” After working for a while, Jinju noticed the hour and wanted to return.

But the only reply was Ou Xinlai’s steady breathing.

Jinju glanced at her, conflicted. This wasn’t the first time. He decided to head home; Ou Xinlai would surely return once she’d slept enough.

So, Jinju put away his tools, closed the door, and went back to the Ou family.

As he shut the door, a shimmering blue electric current crackled through Ou Xinlai’s body—and then all was calm again.